Resistance-indicator.



J. VAN N. DORR.

RESISTANCE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13, 1911.

Patented Aug. 111, 19 M.

fray/7d Dorr LYVENTOR OS FFI Jlil.

JOHN VAN nos'r'nanzo norm, ornnivvnn, coLonADo.

RESISTANCE-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au ii, 19114.

Application filed December 13,1911. Serial No. 665,538.

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, J QHN VAN.NosTRANoPORK, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Denver, in the countyof Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Resistance- Indicators, of which the following is aspecification.

' My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements insettling apparatus or more specifically in apparatus of the type inwhich solid matter is removed from a tank in which it is settled as itreaches the bottom thereof.

An apparatus of this character has been shown in my United States PatentNumber 867,958, issued on the 15th day of October, 1907 and in thedrawings accompanying this specification-,1 have shown the presentinvention in operative connection with an apparatus of the construct-ionshown in the patent, although it may be used in association withdifferent devices, adapted to the same purpose as will fully appear inthe following description.

. In the construction shown, the mechanism whereby the settled matter isremoved from the tank, consists of a rotary element which includes aplurality of radial arms each provided with a flight of scraper-bladeswhich impel the settled matter toward a central opening in the bottom ofthe tank. It will bel'eadily understood that the resistance offered tothe movement of this rotary element varies in accordance with theconsistency of the thickened material which accumulates at the bottom ofthe tank and that as this resistance increases it will effecta-detrimental strain on the operating parts which eventually will resultin breakage.

It is obviously difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain theconsistency of the thickened liquid at the bottom of the tank and theresistance it offers to the mechanism above referred to. Consequently itfrequently happens that some part of the mechanism gets broken or bentwhich results in serious loss due'not only to the repairs renderednecessary, but also to the apparatus being thrown out of work.

The object of the presentinvent-ion is to providea mechanism'of simpleconstruction I whereby the resistance offered by the material at thebottom of the tank to the movement of the rotary element, is indicatedat a point without the tank and whereby warning Wlll be glven when saidresistance exceeds a predetermined maximum.

With this object in view I interpose in the I gearing, by which motionis transmitted to the mechanism referred to, a spring and with suchspring I arrange an indicator by which the compression of the spring canbe ascertained or an alarm which will be actu ated when the spring isunduly compressed but before breakage is likely to occur. Obviously,both indicator and alarm may be used if desired.

In the accompanying drawings in the various views of which like partsare similarly designated, Figure 1, represents a vertical" sect-ion ofthe settling apparatus as shown'in the above mentioned patent, Fig. 2, aplanview of the driving parts of the rotary element included-in saldapparatus, with my improvements in operative position and drawn to anenlarged scale. Fig. 3, an enlarged section taken along the line 3-3,Fig. 2, and, Fig. 4, a fragmentary plan view of the worm-wheel includedin said driving mechanism showinga modified construction of the presentinvention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the settling apparatus comprises atank 2 having in the center of its bottom, a dischargeopcn ing providedwith an inverted cone-shaped receiver. 3 which at its lower extremitycon- .nects with a conduit t through which the thickened material isconveyed to a suitable receptacle. The rotary element by which thesettled matter is continuously moved to the dischargeopening, consistsof a vertical shaft 5, which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearingsin the receiver 3 and on a frame-work 6, and which at its lowerextremity, carries a plurality of radially extending arms 7 eachprovided with a flight of obliquely arranged scraper-blades 8. The shaft5 is rotated by means of a worm-wheel 9 at its upper extremity which isin operative engagement-with a worm 10 on a driving shaft 12.

p In the referred form of the present invention, s own in Figs. 2 and 3,the usual thrust-bearing for the worm-shaft is replaced by an elongatedbearing 13 into which the worm shaft projects in end-to-end engagementwith a plunger 14 which is slidably fitted in axial alinement therewith.

The plunger 14 has a head 14? which is loosely fitted in a chamberformed by an-extension 13 of the bearing 13, and closed at its outer endby means of a screw-cap 15. A coiled spring 17 disposed between saidhead and said screw-cap, constitutes the resilient element whichyieldingly opposes the endwise movement of the worm and the drivingshaft on which it is mounted when the resistance offered by the settledmaterial to the rotary movement of the shaft 5, increases .beyond thenormal. The plunger 1 1 is provided with an axially extending stem 18which projects through an op'enmg in the cap 15 and which at itsexterior end is pivotally connected with a lever 19 which at its upperend is' fulcrumed on a lug 15 formed integral with the cap 15, while itsopposite extremity provides a ointer which on a segmental graduated scae 20, indicates the degree of resistance offered by the thickened matterin the bottom of the tank 2, to the movement of the rotary element. Atone end of this scale, an insulated contact member 21- is disposed to beengaged by the pointer at the end of the lever 19 when the degree ofresistance of the matter in the tank has reached a predeterminedmaximum, the said contact member being together with an alarm 22connected in the electric circuit of a source 23, the opposite poleof'which is connected with a convenient part of the mechanism which isin electric communication with the lever 19. r

r In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, the wormwheel 9 is looselymounted on the shaft 5, and the latter is provided with a lat-' erallyextending arm 24 which is rigidly secured thereto. In pivotal connectionwith the end of this am; is a rod 25 which is slidably supportedwheel,.and a coiled spring v28 is disposed between the bearing 26 and acollar 29 on the rod, to provide a resilient means for transmitting themovementof the wheel 9 to the shaft 5, and for absorbing the resistanceoffered to the movement thereof. A lever 30 fulcrumed at 31 on thewheel'9 is pivotally connected at one end to the rod 25, while itsopposite extremity is pointed to indicate the degree of resistance on ascale 32 fastened to thewheel. A source of electricity 33 mounted on thewheel provides the circuit for the alarm 34, one pole of said sourcebeing connected with a convenient part of the wheel while the oppositepole is connected with a contact member 35 on the scale 32 as in thepreferred form of theinventionhereinbefore described.

What-I claim and desire. to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. The combination with a container and a rotary device adapted to movethe contents thereof, of'means operatively connected with said device soas to be displaced in accordinbearings 26 and 27 on the.

ance with the resistance offered to the movement of the same by a massin said container, and an alarmconnected to be sounded at a determinatepoint insaiddisplacement.

. 2. The combination with a container and a rotary device adapted tomove the contents thereof, of a driving mechanism in operativeconnection with said device, means associated with said mechanism to bedis laced in' accordance with the resistance 0 ered by said device tothe driving action of the same, and an indicator to indicate the .degreeof said resistance by the displacement of said means. I

3. The combination with a container and a rotary devicev adapted to movethe contents thereof and immovable in the direction of its axis ofrotation, of a longitudinally movable driving shaft in operativeconnection therewith, means to yieldingly oppose the endwise movement ofthe said shaft, and an indicatory appliance adapted to be operated bysaid endwise movement.

4. The combination with a rotary device, of a worm wheel connectedtherewith, a worm in operative engagement with said wheel and mounted tomove in the direction of its axis of rotation, 'meansto yieldinglyoppose said movement, and an indicatory appliance adapted to be operatedby the endwise movement of said worm.

5. Thecombination with a rotary device, of a worm 'wheel connectedtherewith, a worm in operative engagement with said wheel and mounted tomove in the direction of its axis of rotation, a sliding member incooperative engagement with said worm, a spring to resiliently oppose amovement of said member, and an indicatory appliance connected to beoperated by movement of the latter.

6. The combination with a rotary device,

of a worm wheel connected therewith, a worm in operative, engagementwith said wheel and mounted to move in the direction of its axis ofrotation, a sliding member in cooperative engagement with said worm, anadjustable abutment, a spring between the latter and the membertoyieldmgly oppose a movement thereof, and an'indicatory applianceconnected to be operated by movement of saidmember. p r

7. The combination with a container and a rotary device adapted to movethe contents thereof, of an element having a driving conv,

nection therewith and capable of dis lacement independentof any movement0 said device, and means to yieldingl oppose the said displacement ofthe said e ement.

8. In combination, a driven element, an

element havin a driving connection therewith, and capa 1e of independentaction, and indicatory means associated with said elements to beoperated by an independent action of the driving element, induced by areposing independent action of the driving elesistance to the movementof the driven element. 1t men-t, i In testimony whereof I have afiixedmy 9. In combination, a driven element,- an signature in presence of twowitnesses. element having a driving connection there- 'JOHN VAN NOSTRAND DORR. with and capable of independent. action, and Witnesses:means for measuring resistance to the move- G. J. ROLLANDET,

ment of the drivenelement by yieldingly op- L. RHOADES.

